JMU tracks JAC card use

UREC, Dining Services, police, others can access student info through JAC

Most students may not know how many people have access to individual student ID numbers and JAC card information.

PeopleSoft, a business software provider, created a program that enables administrators to type in students' names or ID numbers to look up various records. Such records include address information, class schedules, grade point average records and even where and when a JAC card was last used.

According to Becky Hinkle, director of Card Services, this program is used for the best interest of the student. "Different departments have access to this information depending on what they do," she said.

According to Hinkle, Student Organization Services uses PeopleSoft to get address information and schedules of those students who withdraw from the university. According to Hinkle, Dining Services uses it to find out when the student withdrawing ate his or her last meal so they can know how much to refund for a meal plan. Stephanie Hoshower, operations director of Dining Services would not comment on further uses of JAC card records.

According to Lorie Miller, UREC's coordinator of member services, UREC is another part of campus that keeps track of student records through JAC cards. UREC has a new software system called Centrec that tracks visitor information through the JAC card.

According to Eric Nickel, director of University Recreation, Centrec eventually will be able to identify the following information about students: year in school, whether they live on or off campus, gender and their entrance and exit times from the facility.

"We bought the new Centrec software last year, but right now we're unsure about when it will be used," Nickel said.

According to Miller, "With the new Centrec system that we have, we hope to actually see what participants are participating in when they come in" for marketing purposes.

For example, Miller said, the Centrec software can track visitors' activities "from checking out equipment," to "see who's playing basketball." Miller said that in the future, UREC will swipe JAC cards instead of sign-up sheets on paper, to register participants for classes, programs and activities and be able to keep track of their records to inform the students of new activities at UREC.
Miller said she hopes the system will be in place by Fall 2002.

According to Miller, only the UREC directors and software support staff have access to JAC card records. She said student employees will "absolutely not" be able to access the UREC visitors' records, just the person's name and their ID number and their student status.

Nickel said that once the UREC staff works out the kinks in the system, students will have the option to include their participation records for prospective employers.

Nickel added that once the system's technicalities are fixed, it will be marketed.

The Campus Police and Security department also have access to this information, according to Hinkle. JMU Police Lt. Danny Whetzel said police investigators can track when and where a student last used a JAC card.

"Card readers give a tracking of who comes in and when they come into residence halls," Whetzel said. This information is most often used to find lost cards, Whetzel said, but also can be used to track stalkers. Whetzel added, "It's very seldom that that type of thing is needed."

According to Whetzel, tracking JAC cards for investigative purposes is "accessible by the police department," but monitored by Vending Services.

Hinkle said the police also can get numbers from professors to track attendance in class if a student is missing or is in trouble. According to Hinkle, the police need search warrants for all other information.

She said professors also are allowed access to PeopleSoft student identification numbers. Some use this information to look up JAC card pictures so they can refresh their memories before meeting with students.

"Professors have to go through directors for access and have a valid reason for needing such information," Hinkle said. "If they abuse it, they face disciplinary action."

According to Nickel, Personal Wellness professors will be able to track students through their JAC cards as the class requires students spend a certain amount of hours at UREC each semester.

Usage will be based on JAC cards being swiped as students enter and exit the facilities, Miller said. "We will run a report at the end of the semester," she said. "And then we provide that information to the professors."

Some students believe that the PeopleSoft program, except in emergencies, is a violation of privacy. "I don't know if I like that fact that administrators can get my information so easily," junior Michele Hargrave said. "It seems like they should have to ask individual students for specific information."

Others think of the program as just another administrative tool. "It doesn't really bother me that they can check up on my information," junior Mike Walsh said. "They need to have access to some of those files."

It was only within the last few years that JMU switched from using Social Security Numbers to Peoplesoft numbers, according to Hinkle, since students had voiced concerns about the openness of their Social Security numbers.